These Massachusetts towns see the most deer crashes

MIDDLEBORO - Deer crashes are on the rise in Massachusetts and hit record highs last fall, AAA says in a new warning for drivers.

There were 1,806 deer collisions with cars between October and December of 2022, the most in two decades. Crashes are most common around sunset between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. once the clocks are turned back in November.

The towns that saw the most deer collisions from October to December of 2022 were:

1. Middleboro (48)
2. Taunton (39)
3. Westport (29)
4. Swansea (28)
5. Rehoboth (22)
6. East Bridgewater/Seekonk (20)
7. Freetown (19)
8. Acushnet/Plymouth/Wareham (18)

Plymouth County saw the most deer crashes during that time period with 312, followed by Bristol (302), Worcester (283), Middlesex (225) and Essex (134).

"Drivers need to be especially vigilant this time of year," AAA Northeast's Mark Schieldrop said in a statement.

AAA says drivers can do their best to avoid crashing into deer by slowing down, using high beams on dark roads without incoming traffic, taking caution when rounding curves and blasting the horn if the deer is spotted in the road early enough.